Knitter's Day Out/ Completed projects

Softy Baby Sweater and Hat ( Not too thrilled with this costly yarn)

Fleece Artist Socks done on my new Pug Blockers

Mason Dixon Baby Kimono done

Linda Montgomery -teacher of Double Knitting
Shopping !!!



Another fun weekend was had with my sister at the Knitter's Day Out. Quality knitting time ( and wine sipping)was spent with my sister, did some shopping and learned a few more knitting techniques.

Two classes I registered for were Bavarian Knitting with Beth Walker. She was a no show but the disappointment of this would not ruin my weekend. The sub teacher taught us how to cut a steek which was something I had heard of but sounded pretty scary. I still think I will avoid them along with all the twisted stitches involved in Bavarian Knitting . But the class was still interesting and I also picked up a ribbing I will try with my next pair of socks where you knit thru the back loops.



My other class was very exciting .The teacher was dynamic and very helpful and this is something that I may try to do more of. .We started a 2 color coaster in class but mine did not get finished I would love to learn more about double knitting but when searched it not very much shows up.

Double Knitting: Two Sides/Two ColorsLinda MontgomeryAdvancedThis class will cover the basics of double knitting. You will learn how to simultaneously knit 2 sides of fabric at once to produce a single piece of fabric. We will cover how to choose the patterns to use for double knitting. Pattern will be provided by instructor.Prerequisites: Ability to read charts and have knowledge of how to work with 2 colors of yarn






C oming Soon - my shopping purchases and a new baby pattern I found using Tofuoties sock yarn at Mannings

Knitter's Day Out

My Mini and I are off to Lancaster, Pa today. I am staying with my sister tonight and will be going to this. The suitcase is packed along with supplies needed for the classes. My homework for the Beth Walker class was to make a 4 inch square where you cast on 21 and then do two rows. Pow 1 was K7, K7ttbl, K7 and Row 2 was P7, P7ttbl, P7. The swatch shows where the twisted stitches are in the middle. Mine looks like crap as the P thru the back loops is messy and inconsistent. I hate doing P ttbl for some reason.I don't think Bavarian Knitting will be for me but it will be interesting to check it out.
Packing for these events is difficult.I take too many clothes and many knitting things even after going through them and putting half away. I end up carrying too much.

My camera is packed so no photos today.

This is what I have been knitting:

The Pink Softy baby sweater and hat- almost done
Mason Dixon Baby Kimono- just needs ribbons added
Mason Dixon Bib- halfway done.
After all this baby stuff I plan on starting the Karabella Jacket.

Endless Mountain Fiber Festival

Early this morning I went here http://pafiberfestival.com/flyer_prt.htm. This was first visit to this lovely fiber festival that is located about 30 miles north of Scranton just off route 81. The weather was perfect along with the size of this event. NO crowds of people pushing ( unlike Maryland and Rhinebeck)so I was able to browse leisurely but at the same time the assorted vendors had an interesting variety of yarn, roving and other fiber related goodies. It took tremendous amounts of self - discipline to not buy tons of beautiful sock yarn and gorgeous roving. There were over 40 vendors. Food was cheap and bathrooms clean. Next year I will be back!

gorgeous roving
no crowds
cute bunnies

spinners

Not back to school

Play time

Plenty of time to watch the birds. Stinky and Magoo




naughty knitting guard ready to attack my Addi or Option Cables. I have had to file chew marks.





So it is back to school time except for me. My sisters and my daughter all started teaching yesterday.Not me! I am home enjoying the wonderful weather, sleeping in, playing with the pets and making my own agenda. Life is good.




Today work will be on the baby sweater but think the gauge is all off. The width of it is too small but I am hoping to block it wider? Just when my knitting confidence gets up there it all goes out the window. I really did a gauge sample with my knitting class instructor last week .She had me do a garter sample and this is all stockinette. Could that be the reason?



This weekend is the Pa fiber Festival and then on Sept 15 it is Knitter's Day Out.
I went to this last year .So much learning and a good deal. It only cost 45$ . An excellent assortment of vendors are there for shopping . My sister lives in Lancaster so we commute from there so more money to shop. . Our classes this year are Bavarian Knitting with Beth Walker-O"Brien and Double Knitting with Linda Montgomery. I might be overly challenged with the Bavarian one? Not being able hear at these classes does cause some frustration but my patient sister is there to help.

New sock yarn

Dallas from Yarn Nerd This one from Yarn Nerd I discovered on the Ravelry Homepage. The yarn was here in just a few days.


The 2 Fleece Artists came from hereI love this yarn ! My last socks were made from this and it was just perfect!-It is made of 70% Merino and 30% Seacell and is machine washable.

Look at this name !

I Ineed more time!!

Sock knitting is on hold until this baby sweater is done. 75$ to buy this annoying yarn . It splits so I am constantly double checking my stitch count. . My local yarn store teacher suggested this but now I am not sure. I wanted something girly and her choices for baby yarn were limited. If it does not start looking better, I may return several balls and get some at the Pa Fiber Festival this next weekend.

Tuesday -Reading week

Pa schools started this week. The school bus went by early this a.m.. It was wonderful to just roll over and sleep a bit more. For the past 30 years as school started I was just as excited as the kids. Hours would be spent setting up the class, making welcome name tags, mailing out postcards to each kid and having my plans all set. Deep down inside I miss the excitement but love being able to sleep in as that bus passes by.

My pets are happy I am home too! Pug buddies

Crazy little kitty!



Knitting progress :

• on second Fleece Artist Sea Silk Sock- ready to start heal
• getting ready to make another vest using alpalca bought last fall from Latin Collection stand at Stcitches.
  
  

Read 4 books this past week so not much knitting done.


All 3 Debbie Macomer books

and this fantastic book will be finished today.

August 25, 2007 things accomplished

Molly -all wet and clean

things I wanted to accomplish today

• 
  
  Give Molly a bath - done

next

• wash some of the fleece handed out at last guild meeting.

Not done!!!!!!

Best intentions were in place to use this gift.. the fleece was put on a golf screen thing in the garage. As I started picking- the sheep shit smell became overwhelming .The heat and humidity increased the the nausea . Tangles, dirt and grass made it impossible for me to decide what was good. So here it is tossed in the recycle pile of leaves and grass cuttings. Lesson is learned -no more raw fleece unless it has been to a mill and processed.

Next on my list

Make a hat with this hand spun dyed with Kool-Aid. The scarf is done. The color turned out so beautiful . This yarn is special because I spun and dyed it . I was not sure what to make with it as I was not sure how much was actually there. It will end up as gift for a special someone.

hat not started yet...

Fleece Artist Celtic Vest finished!

Vest needs to be blocked
This Fleece Artist Celtic Vest Kit was a purchase that came from Stitches last fall. The pretty matching fastener (thankfully) was bought at the same time! This pattern was a quick and easy mindless one and frogging only happened a few times.You use two balls of yarn form different ends so that is where I messed up once. Label one Y1 and place it in a baggie and the other Y2 had a clip on it. The one bind off in the front was done too tight so it is slightly curling. Miraculously- fits and it will be worn once a shirt for underneath is found. The length was an issue that troubled me but once it is blocked it will be a inch or so longer .I will make this vest again but add 10 more stitches to the length and be careful binding off. There was plenty of yarn left over to add the 10 stitches if you use the kit.

Woolands Spinners and Weavers Guild 8/18/07

Here are my final products from today's workshop. I used blue Kool-Aid for end skeins which are wool. They were not in the same pot so the colors are not exactly the same. The wish was for them to be matching so I make a project out of them . After doing the Celtic Vest maybe I could make a sideways scarf/ hat set using the same pattern and two different shades.The middle one is silk and turned a very pale green using Lime Kool-Aid.

Stinky update:

One of his favorite toys/games is the Boy's golf balls. The Boy putts in front of the TV and Stinky attacks it!

Today was a fun day with Kool-Aid dying and leaning how to skirt, pick and scour fleece. Plus a free bag of some wool is now in my in my Mini boot.(trunk) The dying is something I plan to do more of. The raw fleece stuff -honestly -is not really something I enjoy. I rather just get clean rovings off Ebay or when I go to Rhinebeck. Some really gross stuff was in the raw fleece. I am glad my hepatitis shot is up-to- date after handling this stinky stuff. Still it was interesting and I learned to let the mills clean it instead of me.

guests from Ireland

Nora, my knitting friend, needs a place for her Irish cousin and husband to stay tonight. So I am going to enjoy their company here. This means I need to finish cleaning and get their bedroom not smelling like pugs or cats. Having company is a good incentive to clean. My mother was a crazy women every time we had company.I used to be like that but now with the kids gone it is much easier to keep it clean. Honestly - having a cleaning lady is the real reason. It forces me to pick up every 2 weeks right before she comes. This a luxury I was going to get rid of after I retired.............

Hope they don't mind animals climbing all over the place! Stinky is taking over the house but I just love him to death. But, the pugs just put up with him and all of his energy

Knitting/Spinning news

I really enjoyed the easy read of the first Blossom Street Book . Reminds me of the Friday Night Knitting Circle- same setting and similar plots. Anyways - this would be a great beach read- easy and relaxing to read. I The Baby pattern described and given in the book needs to be copied before I pass it on to my sister.
%&$#@ Yesterday I lost one of my Knitpick needles! I have looked all over except in my car. It fell off but probably because I did not use the little pin tool to tighten this time. I was testing gauge and forgot after that when I decided to use size 13 on the Celtic Vest.I really hate to use anything else now besides the Options or Addis. Only other 13 I have is bamboo or Denise . Not sure what to do yet.maybe Stinky could be be hiding it somewhere

I spun another skein of yarn to dye at the guild meeting this weekend . This one turned out worse than the other after I plied. It is either under or over plied. I am sure they will tell me at the meeting. Sort of embarrassing but I am learning ....either way... I will love the novelty yarn once it is dyed.

Ravelry helps to find pattern

Spent some time looking this site over and setting up some of my projects. Such a long waiting list still! Glad I sent my request in right away after I saw it on Wendyknits and Purlingswine blogs.( 2 of my fav blogs)
Already Ravlery has been a great help! I posted on the forum that I was looking for the Karabella pattern and some kind person gave me the info for Schoolproducts. com . After I emailed them- they responded that you can order it on line at http://www.schoolproducts.com/

Some of the obvious benefits are you can see what everyone is knitting and where you can get the patterns. This is going to be a wonderful resource to track queue ,in progress or hibernating projects .

Help I can't find this pattern!!

This jacket is me!

I saw an ad for this jacket in the new Interweave Fall 2007 issue. ( page 64) Checked on line to find it but noone lists it. Vendors who selll Karabella Yarn did not have it. . Maybe it is too soon? I did email a shop in Milford Pa to see if they have it .
The pattern is KK527 Sper Wash Merino Jacket

Yarn(s) Used:
Merino Superwash
Collection Date:
Winter 2007
Pattern Number:
KK527

16 Skeins of Merino Superwash are required for this pattern
Merino Superwash Specifications:
4.00 Stitches/Inch
Needle Size - 9.00
100% Merino Wool
Comes in 30 Colors

some spinning and Celtic Vest

Got these things done today- Photo is too dark but put the button on Miter Purse . It turned out cute. .

then

a little spinning..I need one more skein for the Guild next Sat for Kool-Aid Dying..

and

Started this vest . I bought this kit at Stitches last fall. It is a sideways vest where you use two balls of yarn. It is not too difficult yet just keeping tack of which one is Y1 or Y2 as they both are alike. I did have trouble with the gauge and not sure if it is right. I went up to size 11 needles instead of 10-10 1/2. The vest looks short. I hope not really short as this last two months I have gained back a few pounds due to this vertigo and lack of activity.

new sock blockers

My new purchases from Ebay

For my sister I ordered the ribbon one as she is a breast cancer survivor.

Stinky's favortie past time

This kitten is the best medicine ever. Here he is checking out the birdfeeder. I love watching him discover new things.

Puringswine had this funny ad on her blog today .http://www.tellyads.com/show_movie.php?filename=TA3698&advertiser=Shreddies

hot hot hot

Our house does not have A/C. We are roasting here. When we were buying this house - I asked the Realtor about the lack of A/C in this $$$ house . He said up here you do not need it. He lied!

I feel so drained the only way to feel cooler is to order this sock yarn .

Simply Socks Yarn Company Items 1 Fleece Artist Somoko TI @ $23.75 = $23.75 1 Fleece Artist Sea Wool B @ $24.75 = $24.75 1 Dream in Color Smooshy 120 @ $21.00 = $21.00

I feel cooler already!

good news- bad news

Stinky is keeping us entertained....
The pugs keep the Boy's legs clean. Why they don't lick me like that ? I tell the boy it is because I use soap to shower but honestly it might have something to do with those bristles .
I love this yarn and this is my all time favorite sock ever with hardly any mistakes.

I need to get more of this Fleece Artist yarn. Loopey Ewe must be visited!

Bad news.What is causing this constant vertigo???????????? I am off balance and feel like I have morning sickness all day long. I am eating the wrong things and gained 2.8 pounds this month. Salad does not do it- only comfort fattening foods. Walking makes me feel like I am going to fall so activity has been limited .

My life has been running to doctors appointments for the last two months. Back and forth to see heart, ENT, neurologist and internist.. Heart , Balance and hearing tests. Next is an MRI . The doctor is giving me 2 Valium to get through it.The last time I panicked so badly they had to stop. But I had an abnormal ENT test so this test is very important according to the doctor. Unfortunately- I have been playing the waiting game getting appointments. I have to wait another 2 weeks for the first available appointment.

8/5/07

Buddy loves to chase Stinky around the house.

Stinky is fitting in here just fine.. He should be called Shadow as he follows me everywhere along with the pugs. He is sitting on my lap as I type.

I hope to finish this purse from camp today. The I-cord and strap must be be made. But several things should be done in the house today like the pile of wash and all the dog hairs accumulating .

I finally ordered the Bloosom Street series by Debbie Macomber from Amazon..several blogs and friends have been recommending them including http://cactusneedlles.blogspot.com/